- Vehicle Tech
- Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
Cheaper sodium-ion batteries are rapidly becoming a reality
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Changan)
- Copy link
- X
- Threads
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter- Changan will be the first company to use a sodium-ion battery
- Improved performance in extreme cold weather is just one highlight
- CATL also announces 5C lithium-ion packs that will last longer than most cars
The world’s first mass-produced sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery for cars has entered mass production and will be sold in China in the upcoming Changan Nevo A06 EV.
The battery technology, which has been developed by CATL (arguably the world’s largest manufacturer of EV batteries), has just finished winter testing in Inner Mongolia, where temperatures regularly drop well below what most EVs are designed to handle.
According to Gizmochina, the Nevo A06 was able to charge without issue at around -30°C (-22°F) and continued operating at temperatures as low as -50°C (-58°F).
You may like-
Silicon-carbon is just the start: these battery technologies could make your phone last even longer
-
I review EVs for a living – here are the top 7 electric cars I drove in 2025
-
The best auto tech you probably missed from CES 2026
Reports state that at -40°C (-40°F), the battery retained more than 90% of its original capacity, a level of performance that is very hard to achieve with conventional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries – as you can see in this brutal winter test.
The CATL Naxtra sodium-ion battery pack is claimed to be the first that's certified for use in passenger vehicles and the version selected by Changan has a capacity of 45kWh, which means it only delivers around 250 miles of range on China’s CLTC test cycle.
According to Changan, this puts it on a par with similar entry-level LFP-based EVs, but the cold weather performance is much greater.
The Mongolian testing revealed that sodium-ion packs could sustainably deliver more power in extreme cold weather than LFP counterparts, without the associated range loss.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Analysis: A briny breakthrough
CATL sees the mass production of its Naxtra sodium-ion battery pack as the beginning of a “dual-chemistry” phase for EVs, where the right technology can be selected by EV makers for the correct application.
For example, sodium-ion batteries may appear on electric vehicles that regularly operate in freezing conditions, although Changan is reportedly considering introducing the technology to its wider range, given the potential savings it offers.
Sodium-ion battery packs have also been backed by those against the mining of lithium, as sodium is 1,000 times more abundant and available in a number of geographical regions, meaning the supply chain isn’t controlled largely by one country.
You may like-
Silicon-carbon is just the start: these battery technologies could make your phone last even longer
-
I review EVs for a living – here are the top 7 electric cars I drove in 2025
-
The best auto tech you probably missed from CES 2026
On top of this, Na-ion packs are said to be slightly safer, as there is a reduced risk of thermal runaway, while production, if scaled correctly, can be cheaper, offering greater choice to EV makers wanting to lower the cost of entry-level EVs with a lower overall electric range.
That said, lithium-ion packs are also improving at a rapid rate and are quickly becoming the better option for both longevity and charging speeds.
CATL claims its latest 5C lithium ion pack can retain 80 percent of its original capacity after 3,000 full charge cycles under ideal 20 degrees C (68 F) conditions, even when charging solely on some of the fastest outlets in circulation.
According to Carscoops, this equates to roughly 1.1 million miles of motoring before the battery is deemed to have lost enough capacity to cause concern.
The 5C in the title also refers to a charge rate that the battery can manage, with CATL stating that its ultra-tough lithium-ion tech can theoretically be charged from empty in about 12 minutes, which should give greater peace of mind to those regularly charging on the public network and fearing this might prematurely impact battery capacity.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
Leon PoultneyEVs correspondentLeon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.
View MoreYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
Silicon-carbon is just the start: these battery technologies could make your phone last even longer
I review EVs for a living – here are the top 7 electric cars I drove in 2025
The best auto tech you probably missed from CES 2026
Newly-discovered $1.5 billion lithium deposit could revolutionize the tech industry - but bad news, it's inside a supervolcano
LiTime X Mini battery and accessories review
Solid-state battery packs are on the rise – and this pioneer has two key benefits
Latest in Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
‘The robot never gets tired’: Hyundai explains why its Boston Dynamics Atlas robot is ready to take over factories, but not your home
There’s a new robotaxi service hitting Las Vegas this year and this one is backed by an automotive giant
The best auto tech you probably missed from CES 2026
Vantrue unveils world’s first dash cam with thermal imaging for Predator-style night vision on the move
I’ve driven Kia’s debut electric van and it’s one of the most convincing electric people-movers out there
I review EVs for a living – here are the top 7 electric cars I drove in 2025
Latest in News
Proton VPN has just fixed this issue on Windows – you can now use three critical features together
The iPhone 17e could land ‘imminently’ – and with no price rise
The next PlayStation State of Play is this week and will last for more than an hour
Noisy FPV drones are dividing viewer opinion at the Winter Olympics
The Xiaomi 18 Pro could be the first phone with two 200MP cameras
'Digital squatting' hits new levels as hackers target brand domains
LATEST ARTICLES- 1Lenovo ThinkVision P27Q-40 monitor review
- 2We might finally be getting Linux 7.0 at last
- 3Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 business laptop review
- 4Vaka is the new Prime Video show you need to stream — but be warned
- 5Proton VPN has just fixed this issue on Windows – you can now use three critical features together
